Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Lovely wife 222

Chained

"But why?" Cassandra asked. "1-why would they try to hurt me?" This is no longer like the simple scheming that she does with other people in the show business industry.

"I wouldn't know that," her manager said. "However... I am pretty certain that this wasn't a coincidence. They-perhaps even Mr. Horvath himself-must have created this trap."

"Then what should I do now?"

"I-I don't know. However, it is best that you talk to that-whoever it is that told you this idea would work."

Almost immediately, Cassandra's expression changed. She looked at her manager. "You knew?"

"Of course, I would know! I know that someone must have given you the courage to do something like that in exchange for something huge. Look-" her manager sighed. "Just please fix this. I will do my best to support you, but just please. please try to fix what you can fix."

Cassandra's lips trembled. At the end of the day, Olivier actually left her hanging! He was the one who promised her everything, yet now that they announced their engagement...

Cassandra sat down heavily on the couch, her mind swirling. She pressed the heel of her hand against her forehead, willing the pounding in her head to stop.

Olivier and Celeste had been so convincing that night.

She remembered it clearly. It had been a private dinner at an exclusive restaurant. The couple sat across from her. Celeste especially looked so friendly. She had a glass of wine in one hand, her expression calm and steady. She had leaned in slightly, dropping her voice as if sharing a secret too dangerous to say aloud.

"They're already married," she told her. "Liam and Isabella signed the papers months ago. It's a business arrangement. Nothing more."

Cassandra had blinked at her, struggling to process the information.

"They aren't planning to announce it," Celeste continued. "Too many complications. The media would dig into it. Shareholders would ask questions. The timing isn't right for them."

She remembered how she had set his glass down carefully before continuing.

"I know you care about Liam," she said. "I know you have for a long time. That's why I'm coming to you."

Cassandra had swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around her napkin.

Celeste smiled, just slightly. "This is an opportunity. For both of us."

She had explained it so neatly, so logically. If she pushed now-if she created enough doubt-Isabella would be forced to step away. The marriage would be exposed as a fraud. Liam, humiliated and cornered, would need a softer, safer image to clean up the scandal. Cassandra. The woman who stood by him. The woman the public already believed had a connection to him.

"You're beautiful and talented, and you have real public sympathy," Celeste said. "You're the perfect solution."

had leaned back in her chair and looked at her like the whole thing was inevitable. Like it was already hers

that would bury her rivals. Stocks in a growing entertainment company. Connections she could

to do was help

she had to do was

in her lap, staring down at the floor without seeing it. She had believed them. She had wanted to believe them. She

He had to.

of it was crashing down

pulling Isabella into his arms, shielding her in front of the cameras, declaring war on anyone who dared touch

felt her

Successfully unlocked!

each other's assets and that before this marriage, Isabella

nothing but a pile of broken promises and a

1/3

Chained

weren't even answering her

with shaky hands. Her last few calls

unanswered, but Celeste might still

Celeste's

clenched her teeth and dialed again, more forcefully

they thought they could just

line clicked, then went silent

pacing back and forth, her heart thudding heavily

under her breath. "Fine. If they won't talk to me, I'll talk to everyone. I'll tell the

approached from the kitchen, holding out a bottle of water. “Here,” she said. "Drink. You need to calm down before you do anything stupid." Cassandra snatched the bottle without thinking. Her mouth was dry, her head pounding. She twisted off the cap and drank half of it in one

with the back of her hand and turned back toward the couch-but something

edges of her vision blurred. Her hands felt numb.

she said, her voice

looked at her, her face tight with something Cassandra couldn't name. "I'm sorry" she

tried to step forward, but her legs buckled. She collapsed onto the

was her manager kneeling beside her, picking up

Why? Just why?

woke with

the light-too bright, almost blinding. She blinked

her.

walls were stark white with nothing on them. No windows. Only a single bed bolted to

sit up